Lunar ISRU energy storage and electricity generation

Abstract

The survival of the astronauts and their equipment is the priority for any long-term exploration mission to the Moon. The provision of energy during the long lunar nights is a critical part of these missions. Several approaches have recently been considered to store and provide energy on the Moon by means of ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilisation). We present a review of the energy requirements for a long mission scenario, and a trade-off analysis of the potentially suitable technologies for an ISRU-based system able to store heat and generate electricity. The most promising combinations of technologies are presented.

Minimal mass design of a tensegrity tower for lunar electromagnetic launching

“…(32) and Eq. (33). These two equations mean that the launch-barrel height is a reciprocal function of the propulsion force/acceleration as shown in Figure 7a and the propulsion force is a linear function of the launch-barrel coils as shown in Figure 7b.…”

“…The second one is that fuels are valuable commodities, and there is no reason to consume valuable fuel instead of using more available renewable solar energy. In fact, many lunar-resource-utilization researches have been conducted, such as rover for lunar landing [44], robotic operations on the moon [2], lunar base design principles [38], 3D printing by regolith [31], energy storage and generation on the moon [33], etc. Furthermore, researchers have proposed to use the lunar-derived commodities instead of earth-commodities in the orbiting-resource depots to enable human space dwelling, space plant cultivation, essential life supplements, and refuel landers or other interplanetary vehicles in the future [51].…”

Spark plasma sintering and optical characterization of lunar regolith simulant

“…The minimum temperature has been chosen 100K, representative of the night temperature value on the lunar equatorial surface [33]. In addition, we explicitly took into account the temperature value of 250K, which is near to the almost constant temperature of lunar regolith about 0.3-0.5 m below the surface [2], Another key temperature value is around 400K, corresponding to the maximum temperature at the equatorial belt [33]. For the technological applications of interest in the present work, namely solar energy harvesting and sensible-heat thermal energy storage [3], the materials should be subjected to significantly higher temperatures.…”

“…Thermal energy storage (TES) appears the most suitable energy storage approach for future extra-terrestrial human colonies or robotic stations. Regolith, and in particular regolith processed into solid bulks to enhance its thermal properties, is then considered the most natural TES candidate materials [2], [3]. As for asteroids, they have been identified as possible targets for In-Situ Resources Utilization (ISRU), for instance, but not exclusively, for mining purposes [4]- [6].…”

3D Printing and Solvent Dissolution Recycling of Polylactide–Lunar Regolith Composites by Material Extrusion Approach

“…Both China and the United States have announced their intention to conduct manned lunar exploration in the near future. Due to the long distance between Earth and the Moon, and the high transportation costs, in situ resource utilization (ISRU) has been recognized as a cost-effective and efficient approach for long-stay manned operations [1][2][3]. Lunar regolith, which covers the surface of the Moon, consists of fine particles with particle sizes smaller than 1 mm.…”